# Mississippi State University: Geology / Earth Science (bachelor's)

Mississippi State, MS. IPEDS 176080, CIP 40.06. Page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/mississippi-state-university/majors/geology-earth-science

## Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings 1 year after graduating: $42,298
- Median earnings 4 years after graduating: $62,082 (U.S. median for this major: $60,453 across 137 colleges)
- Median federal loan debt: $26,286 (U.S. median $25,000)
- Rank in MS: 2 of 2 colleges by 4-year earnings
- Versus the U.S. median: +$1,629

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
School-wide net price x 4.38 years (average time graduates took). Earnings gain = $62,082 minus $30,550 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MS (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $14,332 | $62,774 | 2.0 years |
| 30-48k | $14,372 | $62,949 | 2.0 years |
| 48-75k | $18,671 | $81,779 | 2.6 years |
| 75-110k | $20,704 | $90,684 | 2.9 years |
| 110k+ | $22,987 | $100,683 | 3.2 years |

Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score#value

## Geology / Earth Science at MS colleges
| College | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Southern Mississippi | $66,142 | not reported | $21,708 | 49% |
| Mississippi State University | $62,082 | $26,286 | $17,595 | 67% |

## Careers
- Natural Sciences Managers (SOC 11-9121): median wage not reported metro, $119,430 MS, $167,220 U.S.; U.S. jobs 8.2% by 2035
- Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers (SOC 19-2042): median wage not reported metro, $112,400 MS, $101,920 U.S.; U.S. jobs 5.1% by 2035

## Sources and years
- Earnings (4 yr): Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars; debt: NSLDS pooled AY2018-19, AY2019-20 cohort

Free to reuse with attribution: cite "EducationGuide.com" with a link to the page URL. Most figures are U.S. government data (public domain); loan default rates and athletics come from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By 1.0, attribution required) and founding years from Wikidata (CC0).